Author: Varosian Antranik

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian

July 26, 2006

ARMENIAN NATIONAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE
AWARDS ANCIENT ARMENIAN COINS TO STUDENTS

NEW YORK, NY-With the ending of the school year, some lucky (and
exceptional) students at Armenian schools heard an extra jingle in their
pockets. The jingle was not the traditional noise of change, but ancient
coins depicting Armenian royalty, specifically during the reign of King
Levon II of Cilicia.
Donated by Mr. Gary Setian of Massachusetts, each year coins are
presented by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC) during the
year-end ceremonies at several Armenian schools. Only a select few students,
who have excelled in Armenian studies and are active members of the Armenian
community, receive this special annual recognition.
"It was heartwarming to see the joy and pride in the eyes of those
students who I had the privilege of personally presenting the ancient
coins," said Mrs. Nayiri Balanian, chair of ANEC. This year, 45 students
received the awards at 19 schools throughout the Eastern United States. In
celebration of "The Year of the Armenian School," ANEC awarded more coins
than in previous years.
Levon II was crowned King of Armenia in 1198 and he started striking his
royal series of coins. The obverse was patterned after the contemporary
bracteates of Henry VI of the Holy Roman Empire and the reverse displayed a
single lion turned to the left. However, because he received two crowns at
his coronation (one from Henry VI and another from Alexius III of
Byzantium), Levon struck a series of silver coins with two lions,
symbolizing the two crowns sent by the two emperors.
The coveted awards this year went to the following students:
Antranik Pogosian, St. Sarkis Suzanne & Hovsep Hagopian Armenian School,
Douglaston, NY; Natalie Kublbeck, Michael Guzelian, Megerditch Kassabian,
Justin Gostanian, St. Gregory Armenian School, North Andover, MA; Mardiros
Afarian, St. Stephen Armenian School, New Britain, CT; Mary Daniel, Taniel
Varoujan School, Glenview, IL; Aline Vosganian, Tsoghig Hovhannessian,
Hamasdegh School, Bethesda, MD; Talar Manjikian, Lorig Manjikian, Ani
Zarifian, Sosse Beujekian, St. Stephen School, Watertown, MA; Ashod Oshagan,
ARS Zavarian School, Detroit, MI; Kevork Torossian, Nareg School,
Ridgefield, NJ; Vana Ekmekjian, Sipan School, Paramus, NJ; Arakel Khaligian,
ARS Marzbed School, Racine, WI; Ann-Marie Manougian, Vicken Bastajian, Sourp
Hagop Saturday School, Montreal, Canada; Missak Sarkissian, Vatche
Asadourian, Shogher Baronian, Chris Baronian, Tamar Samuelian, Siamanto
Academy, New York, NY; Talene Taraksian, Rita Minasian, Mourad School,
Providence RI; Ari Kazanjian, Varteni Jamakorzian, Jirair Manoukian, Rose
Arslanian, St. Stephen Elementary School, Watertown, MA; Sara Selverian,
Anna Selverian, Armenian Sisters’ Academy, Radnor, PA; Sarkis Mesrobian,
Elizabeth Bekilian, Armenian Sisters’ Academy, Lexington, MA; Alexandra
Kaprielian, Marielle Jamgochian, Emmadora Boutcher, Hovnanian School, New
Milford, NJ; Jessica Megerian, Andrew Reed, Holy Martyrs Armenian Day
School, Bayside, NY; Nayiri Mardiros, Serge Bourkoulian, Nayiri Iwazian,
Tavit Kojaoghlanian, Vigen Endinian, Sourp Hagop Armenian School, Montreal,
Canada.

YEREVAN BRANDY COMPANY TO BUY 30,000 TONS OF GRAPES

Armenpress

YEREVAN, JULY 25, ARMENPRESS: The French-owned Yerevan Brandy Company
(YBC) reported a commodity turnover of 19 billion Drams for the past
12 months.

Zara Nazarian, head of the company’s press office, told journalists
on Monday that the company remains committed to raising the share of
brandy prepared from 10-20 year-old spirit in its overall sale volumes.

She said the volume of sale of Super-Premium products rose to 180,000
liters. In the same time span of the past 12 months 3.4 million liters
out of 3.5 million liters produced were sold and of this 2.5 million
liters in Russia.

In the past 12 months the Yerevan Brandy Company, owned by Pernod
Riccard, has invested 350 million drams in its Armavir branch and
260 million Drams in Aygavan branch. Last year the company bought
25 percent more grape, overall 23,500 tons- than in the previous
year. The company has contracts with 5,500 wine-growers and this
autumn it will raise procurements up to 30,000 tons.

The company sells also its brandies in Germany, Israel, USA, Ukraine,
Belarus and some other countries.

A financial director of the company said one of the biggest problems
was the strengthening of the national Armenian currency- Dram-
against the US Dollar, sustaining damages to all exporters.

ANDRANIK MARGARIAN: COOPERATION IN POLITICAL SPHERE IS WIDER TODAY

YEREVAN, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. A month ago when the Board of the
Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) published a decision to convene a
special congress, this became an occasion of wide public-political
discussions, but "life and this congress came to prove that
various predictions that are often presented as "analyses" were
vain." Andranik Margarian, RPA Chairman, RA Prime Minister, declared
this in his speech at the party’s 10th special congress held on
July 22.

"It is well known to everybody, that the political rearrangements
also resulted in change of the coalition format formed in 2003,
bringing new, more extended political consent with participation
of the Republican Party of Armenia, ARF Dashnaktsutiun, United
Labor Party, People’s Deputy and Business MP groups. The goal was
one, to preserve and continue the systematized reforms, programs
and works aimed at socio-economic development that had received
the confidence of the collective majority of our people in 2003
presidential and parliamentary elections becoming the main guideline
of the government’s activity," Andranik Margarian said. He said that
the programs proposed by RPA were exact and purposeful and were aimed
at satisfaction of socio-economic, spiritual cultural requirements
of wide masses of the public.

Though preelection moods gradually emerge in the country and in the
political sphere, nevertheless, as RPA Chairman said, today cooperation
in the political sphere is wider, as a result of which the normal
activity of the government and NA preserves. The NA Republican faction
remains loyal to its political line supporting the government’s
activity and scheduled socio-economic programs within the framework
of the political agreements reached by it. Being guided by balanced
and purposeful policy our faction creates the legislative base of
work aimed at strengthening stable development, economic reforms,
as well as democratic principles," Andranik Margarian declared.

EU PREFERS PERSUASION TO SANCTIONS

Panorama.am
17:08 24/07/06

Peter Semneby, EU special representative in South Caucasus held a
joint press conference with Armenian foreign minister Vartan Oskanyan
today. Talking about Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, Semneby said
EU is not involved in Karabakh conflict settlement but is watchful to
the process and is ready to take steps that will step up mutual trust.

In his words, EU is concerned about any proposal that will suggest
military solution to the conflict. Asked what sanctions will EU impose
on the party which will take up military measures, Semneby advised
to change the word "sanction" to "persuasion". "We would rather talk
the parties into refraining from such statements because they do not
stem from their own interests," he said.

The Armenian foreign minister also thinks that Azerbaijan should be
talked into returning to negotiation table and first of all relies
on Mathew Bryza to accomplish that mission.

Oskanyan reiterated Armenian’s disposition to the proposed formula
saying that only Azerbaijan has "problems" with it./Panorama.am/

Entry exams are starting in higher educational establishments of Armenia

ArmRadio.am
20.07.2006 11:43

Entry exams are starting today in higher educational establishments
of Armenia. 12 413 applicants will take exams in Yerevan. The number
does not include the applicants of cultural higher educational
establishments and the State Institute of Physical Culture.

NKR MFA refutes the Azeri reports on the violation of the cease-fire

ArmRadio.am
20.07.2006 13:46

NKR Ministry of Defenses refuted the recurrent report of the Azeri
media on the breach of the cease-fire regime.

"It is the recurrent false report, misinformation and propaganda,"
Press Secretary of NKR Ministry of Defense Senor Asratan told "ArmInfo"
correspondent, commenting on the reports of the Azeri media on the
breach of the cease-fire in the direction of Aghdam. Senor Asratyan
reconfirmed Karabakh’s commitment to the maintenance of the cease-fire
regime.

MATHEW BRYZA JULY 29

Lragir.am
19 July 06

On July 29 Mathew Bryza, the U.S. Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group,
will arrive in Yerevan, reported the Public Affairs Section of the
U.S. Embassy to Armenia. Bryza will meet with Robert Kocharyan and
Vardan Oskanyan.

Nagornyy Karabakh republic [NKR], Arkadiy Gukasyan leader visiting
Armenia

Arminfo, Yerevan
18 Jul 06

Stepanakert , 18 July: The president of the Nagornyy Karabakh republic
[NKR], Arkadiy Gukasyan, left for Yerevan on 17 July on a short
working visit.

During the visit, Gukasyan is to meet high-ranking Armenian officials
and representatives of the public, the press service of the NKR
president told Arminfo.

HEAD OF SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION SAYS POLL NEEDED TO MEASURE RATING OF REPUBLICAN PARTY

Panorama.am
16:48 17/07/06

Head of Armenian Sociological Association Gevorg Poghosyan thinks
there is a need to conduct a public opinion poll to determine the
rating of the Republican Party after defense minister Serz Sargsyan
teams up with it.

International Republican Institute և Gellup conducted surveys
to find out the ratings of political parties in Armenia. The results
of the survey were not made public but they were delivered to the
political party leaders. Gevorg Poghosyan says 12 pro-government and
opposition parties were included in the poll. Republicans were not
in the lead.

Gevorg Poghosyan indicated that the rating of Republican Party may
rise upon Serz Sargsyan’s entry. However, he does not rule out
the contrary taking into consideration the huge mass of opposition
electorate in the country. /Panorama. am/

Students Remember the Horrors of Genocide with Yom Ha’Shoah Events

Hillel.org, DC
May 1 2006

With drama, music and the sounds of thousands of names being read,
Jewish students across the country led their campuses in remembering
the Holocaust last week during Yom Ha’Shoah (Holocaust Memorial Day)
and Holocaust Awareness Week activities. Hillel student leaders ensured
that the lessons learned from the Holocaust and other genocides would
not be forgotten as they planned meaningful programs that touched
the entire community.

University of Rhode Island Hillel paid tribute not only to the
victims of the Holocaust, but also to those currently suffering in
the Darfur region of Sudan with a "Field of Flags" on campus grounds.
Students planted more than 2,000 multi-colored flags that represented
both the 6 million who perished during the Holocaust and the 400,000
victims of the Darfurian genocide. Although a memorial service provided
a more intimate setting for reflection, URI Hillel Director Amy Olson
said the field’s central campus location gave thousands more students
and faculty an easy way to experience the exhibit throughout the week.

"It’s hard to get people to come out for something because everyone
is busy, they have a class or they have to study. This way, everybody
walks through the campus and experiences it without making that extra
effort to go to something," Olson told the Providence Journal.

URI students weren’t the only ones who called attention to the victims
of other genocides during Yom Hashoah programs. University of Southern
California Hillel partnered with the campus Jewish Law Students’
Association and the Armenian Students’ Association to sponsor a
candlelight vigil in remembrance of the Holocaust and the 1.5 million
Armenians who died during the 1915-1923 genocide in Turkey. At North
Carolina State University, Hillel students organized a campus-wide
information fair in which visitors could learn more about the Holocaust
and the situations in Darfur, Kosovo and Bosnia, among others.

"The reason we’re doing this is because there are still a lot of
problems with people hating each other and persecuting each other,"
Ben Mazur, the NC State Hillel treasurer, told the Technician student
newspaper. "Every time this happens, we try to learn a lesson from it
and we try to educate people about it, but there are still problems
like this going on today."

The arts continued to play a vital role in conveying the memories of
the lives lost in the Holocaust. University of Missouri, Columbia
Hillel co-sponsored "Silenced Voices, a Concert of Remembrance,"
which brought back to the life the music of many Jewish composers
that was banned by the Nazi regime. Ithaca College Hillel brought
author Ken Shuldman and filmmaker Rich Newberg to campus to discuss
their works on chronicling the experiences of Holocaust survivors.
And at California’s Chapman University, the Hillel Foundation of Orange
County and the Student Society of Entertainment Arts partnered to
present the Jurek Becker play "Jakob the Liar." Senior Anna Scanlon,
who adapted the play about misinformation in a German-occupied Jewish
ghetto in 1944, said it has become an important educational tool for
both the audience and the actors and crew.

"The students involved have really learned a lot about the Holocaust
as well as Judaism. They went to a special learners Shabbat since
only two members of the cast are Jewish, and they really, really
liked it. I think it’s brought more humanity to the event, even more
so than the audience, because they live and breathe these characters
for several weeks and get to know their character like a good friend,
so it makes the Holocaust much more real," Scanlon said.

As in previous years, many Hillels also sponsored daylong or 24-hour
vigils in which students took turns reading the names of Holocaust
victims. Hillels at West Virginia University, the University of
Virginia, Binghamton University, the University of Iowa, Arizona
State University and Elon University were among those who organized
readings. Holocaust remembrance activities were funded, in part,
by the Darmstaedter Estate through the UJA-Federation of New York.

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